When dealing with the loss of one or more teeth, dental patients often consider options for replacement to restore their smiles. This can lead them down two different roads, the first of which results in dental bridges. A dental bridge is a cost-effective option to replace one or more teeth, typically requiring around two visits to place.
After the removal of a tooth, a dentist will begin preparing the mouth for the bridge. This entails shaping the two teeth, the abutment teeth, immediately adjacent to the extraction site. Once the abutment teeth have reached the desired shape, the dentist will take an imprint of the site, after which a dental technician will fabricate the dental bridge.
On a separate appointment, the dentist will start fitting the bridge to the patient's mouth. This may need one or more visits based on the adjustments necessary to create a proper fit. The finished dental bridge will sit on each abutment tooth, reaching over the gap left behind by the missing tooth to give the illusion of a natural placement. This restores the patient's smile and the ability to chew food normally.
Some prospective individuals prefer the option of a bridge because of the minimally invasive techniques and lower cost. However, other individuals prefer another approach that does not compromise the structure of their healthy remaining teeth, which leads them to consider dental implants.
Unlike bridges, dental implants do not need dentists to reshape the remaining teeth. Instead, the dentist will work solely in the gap left behind by a lost tooth. During the initial planning stage, the dentist will determine the health of a patient's mouth and the bones of the jaw to guarantee a safe placement of an implant. When this is established, the dentist will place a permanent implant cylinder into the bone to serve as a synthetic "root."
After the placement of the implant cylinder, the patient's natural bone will need to heal for a period of months. This is to ensure that the natural bone bonds with the dental implant, forming a tight seal and a firm structure similar to that of a natural tooth. When the site has healed, the patient will return to the dentist for the placement of an abutment. The abutment later serve as the site for a permanent dental crown.
Since the cost of an implant is greater than that of a dental bridge, many individuals usually cite the overall price as the deciding factor in their treatment. Bridges cost less and do not need surgery, however since they result in the damage of two neighboring teeth, they might present unfavorable options. Dental implants cost more, but the effect is similar to that of a natural tooth and equally stable.
Author Resource:
Visit DentalImplants-LosAngeles.com to learn more. Both single and multiple dental implants can be used for replacing missing teeth.
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